BIGresearch: The Consumers' Control of Media Continues to Grow

Empowered Consumers Disrupt Old Advertising Distribution Model and Impact ROI for Marketing Campaigns

| Source: BIGresearch BIGresearch

COLUMBUS, OH -- (MARKET WIRE) -- January 18, 2007 -- In 2006, time magazine chose "you" as the person of the year, Ad Age chose "the consumer" the agency of the year and in 2007 marketers are faced with the new reality of a consumer controlled communication model, according to BIGresearch's latest Simultaneous Media Usage Study (SIMM 9) of over 15,000 consumers.

"The long awaited ascent of consumers as controllers of their media environment is apparent in several findings in SIMM 9 and it's also disruptive to the age old media distribution model many advertisers have relied upon," said Gary Drenik, President & CEO of BIGresearch.

Media multitasking continues to grow as consumers have less time and more media options to consumers.

"The intermittent usage of media which occurs during simultaneous consumption creates a serious problem for marketers who rely on exposure to media models since the anticipated exposure is being shared with many other media options and may never occur," said Joe Pilotta, VP, Research of BIGresearch. 

% Who Use Other Media When:
Watching TV             67.9%
Listening to Radio      56.4%
Reading Newspapers      68.9%
Going Online            70.7%
As more marketers seek to make media expenditures accountable to the bottom line growth of their company, the consumers in the survey don't seem to be on the same page as advertising expenditures. When asked which media most influence their purchase decision for various product categories, consumers' choices are rarely in line with advertisers expenditures. 
Top 5 Media Influences:
                                    % of Measured Media Spending by
Consumers Buying a Car              Automotive Industry*
1. Word of Mouth        30.4%           NA
2. TV Broadcast         24.1%           47.1%
3. Read Article         21.3%           NA
4. Newspaper            20.2%           30.0%
5. Magazine             17.5%           11.3%

                                    % of Measured Media Spending by
Electronics Purchases               Electronics/Home Furnishings Industry**
1. Word of Mouth        42.6%           NA
2. Read Article         34.1%           NA
3. TV Broadcast         32.3%           36.2%
4. Newspapers Inserts   32.0%           4.40%
5. In-Store Promo       27.2%           NA

* Source: Ad Age Domestic Spending by Category (2005)
** Includes Home Furnishings, Appliances and Electronics
"Word of Mouth marketing is one of the most talked about options for marketers. The new digital options make it easier to give and receive options on products and services and it's no longer confined to one to one conversations. New media options such as online search, blogging, email, texting, video, streaming and social networks such as MySpace and Youtube have expanded the Word of Mouth universe and made traditional advertising less relevant for many," said Pilotta. For example, 94.2% of consumers regularly or occasionally give advice about products and services they purchased and 90.8% regularly or occasionally seek advice about products and services before making a purchase.

BIGresearch's 9th SIMM Study provides marketers an opportunity to better understand consumers and their media consumption habits which can help them transition their marketing models to a consumer centric consumption model in order to increase ROI of campaigns in a competitive economy.

Additional information on SIMM and other BIGresearch samples may be accessed by going to: http://www.bigresearch.com and clicking on Complimentary Top Line Findings.

About BIGresearch

BIGresearch is a market intelligence firm providing analysis of consumer behavior in areas of retail, financial services, automotive, and media. The syndicated Simultaneous Media Usage Study (SIMM) monitors more than 15,000 consumers twice each year to identify opportunities in a fragmented and changing marketplace including the media. They also conduct the Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey (CIA) which monitors the pulse of more than 7,000 consumers each month.

BIGresearch's methodology provides the most accurate consumer information in the industry with a margin of error of +/- 1 percent.

Contact Information: Contact: Phil Rist BIGresearch 450 West Wilson Bridge Road Suite 370 Worthington, Ohio 43085 (614) 846-0146 Email Contact

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